Has anyone here who's American had a relationship with a Filipina that worked out well? I've wanted to go see other…

If she has already asked you for help with money or hospital bills, run as fast as you can. That's only the beginning. Especially with a big family. It goes like this: my brother's motorcycle broke down, my sibling can't go to school because of tuition, my mom or dad needs surgery, we need money for a funeral. It doesn't end as long as there's money in your account, I guarantee it. You're not just taking responsibility for one girlfriend, you're taking responsibility for everyone she loves. With a big family you need deep pockets. Once you say yes, that's it. It starts small and keeps growing. Go meet her in person first, travel together, and meet her family and friends. And if you go out to eat with your girlfriend and her family, be prepared for them to bring relatives and friends along and just pump up the bill. Filipinos love to eat, and even more so when a foreigner is paying. Before you curse me out, I'm married to a beautiful Filipina, and my wife is the kind of person who sets boundaries right away if she thinks family is trying to take advantage. She knows all those tricks. We've seen friends who thought with what's below instead of their heads and got cleaned out. Just remember this. Filipino families often have more than five siblings, and those siblings grow up, marry, and have more kids (those are the nieces and nephews). The spouses have siblings and cousins too. Somewhere in the family tree, when someone is sick or has a birthday or needs tuition, they usually expect you to help. Your girlfriend will be under pressure too. You have to be ready for those expectations, but she also has to know how to say no. Otherwise one or both of you will end up under mental strain. If you pick the wrong person, be ready to hand over the keys to your bank account.

Don't get your hopes up too high. It's nice to have a friend there when you go to visit. Not everyone is looking for a way out. Some were married and their husband left them for another woman. Then they have to go through annulment proceedings, which isn't easy, costs money, and isn't guaranteed. Most of the time family comes first and everyone lives together. If not, something's off. It's a Roman Catholic society!! Don't make any decisions over the phone until you've gone there a few times and experienced the culture. Always remember; A smile doesn't mean someone is kind!! They all know exactly how to soften a person up to get what they want. They've been trained for decades. Especially with light-skinned people. That's why it's so hard to bring them to the US even after marriage. Let me talk about marriage too. If you've never supported that woman in the Philippines, you might have trouble marrying her and bringing her to your home country. I was in my 50s, and she was the aunt of my best friend, and I knew the whole family. She hid so many things. She said she'd never married her daughter's father, and she said she was 44. All lies!! She was adopted at 12, and in the Philippines when you're adopted you get a new birth certificate. In reality she was 12 years older. She was still married, so she needed an annulment, and her husband, who already had a new family, demanded 5000 pesos to sign. It's still not resolved! They'll say exactly what you want to hear. That's why people say you should go a few times and stay a few months at a stretch to see the person's real life. Good luck, and be careful. There are many good Filipinas, but they all know how to play the game. Don't be fooled.

I had a long-distance relationship for almost 5 years, and unfortunately it didn't work out. We video called every day, and she kept promising we'd meet soon or that she'd come to me abroad. I work in Asia now. I even suggested meeting halfway, like in Taiwan, Hong Kong, or China, but she just kept promising and it never happened. Honestly I'm worn out, and I don't believe in long-distance relationships like I used to. Here's my advice. You can tell and feel who truly likes you. Don't send money. Go visit instead. If someone is willing to make time to meet you in person, go. A long-distance relationship built only on video calls and social media wears you out. Both of you need to show you're sincere about making the online connection real. Agree on the next step and make a clear plan for when and how you'll meet. If you've never met in person, don't send money. Meet first, really get to know each other, and then see what's next. If it goes like mine did, you could waste years waiting on promises that never come true, really.

I'm really happy with my Filipina girlfriend, who will be my wife soon. She has never asked me for money either. She has a degree in education, she's incredibly beautiful, has a great personality, a sense of humor, and works hard. God bless her lovely family too. I think I'm a blessed, very lucky man to have met someone like this. I wish you luck, and I say go for it 100,000%. I really, really love my future wife. That much is certain.